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| USN Tambor class submarine 1,475 long tons 307' 2" x 27' 3" x 14' 7" 10 × 21"torpedo tubes (six forward, four aft) 24 torpedoes 1 × 3" gun 1 x 40mm AA 1 x 20mm AA  USN 1942 |
Sub History Built by Portsmouth Navy Yard in Kittery, Maine. Laid down April 2, 1940 as Tambor class submarine. Launched November 29, 1940 as USS Grenadier named for the grenadier fish (Coryphaenoides leptolepis), sponsored by Mrs. Walter S. Anderson, wife of the Director of Naval Intelligence. Commissioned May 1, 1941 in the U.S. Navy (USN) with Lieutenant Commander Allen R. Joyce in command. On June 20, 1941 Grenadier participated in the search for O-9 (SS-70), which failed to surface after a deep test dive, and was present two days for memorial services over the spot where O-9 and her crew sank. Afterwards, conducted a shakedown cruise in the Caribbean Sea then arrived at Portsmouth on November 5, 1941 for refit. Wartime History In late December 1941 after the start of the Pacific War departed Portsmouth via the Panama Canal then onward to Pearl Harbor to join the submarine fleet. First War Patrol During February 4, 1942 departed Pearl Harbor on her first war patrol across the Pacific Ocean to patrol off Honshu. Although Grenadier spotted several ships, none were sunk. On March 23, 1942 ended the patrol at Pearl Harbor. Second War Patrol On April 12, 1942 departed Pearl Harbor on her second war patrol under the command of LCDR Willis Lent to patrol the shipping lanes between Shanghai to Yokohama and Nagasaki to Formosa. On May 8, 1942 she torpedoed and sank Taiyō Maru. Third War Patrol On May 25, 1942 Grenadier was diverted from her patrol area to Midway to form part of the submarine patrol line to support during the Battle of Midway. Afterwards, patrolled the Truk area and observed heavy maritime traffic. Although she spotted 28 Japanese ships, enemy aircraft hampered any attacks and ended the patrol at Fremantle. Forth War Patrol On October 13, 1942 departed on her forth war patrol. to December 10. After laying a minefield off Hai Phong and made an unsuccessful attack on a large freighter. During the severe depth charging which followed, sea water seeped into the batteries; Grenadier’s crew suffered headaches and nausea from chlorine gas poisoning for the remainder of the patrol. To increase the misery, on 20 November Grenadier spotted a Ryūjō class aircraft carrier, escorted by a cruiser and a destroyer, heading through the Strait of Makassar too distant to shoot. Grenadier surfaced to radio the aircraft carrier's location in hope that another submarine could attack then set a course for Fremantle ending the patrol on December 10, 1942. Fith War Patrol Under the command of Willis Lent, between January 1, 1943 until February 20, 1943, brought her considerably better fortune than earlier patrols. A 75-ton schooner fell victim to her deck guns 10 January, and two days later Grenadier sighted a small tanker with a barge in tow. Judging the target not worth a torpedo, she slipped silently into the column behind the two Japanese ships. At dusk she battle surfaced. With binoculars lashed to the deck guns as sights, she raked tanker and barge sinking them immediately. The remainder of her patrol, along the Borneo coast through shallow and treacherous waters, was hampered by fathometer failures. She conducted an aggressive attack on two cargo ships January 22 but did not sink them. Sixth War Patrol On March 20, 1943 departed Australia bound for the Strait of Malacca. Patrolling along the Malaysia and Thailand coasts, Grenadier claimed a small freighter on April 6, 1943 off Phuket Island. Grenadier remained in the area and late in the night of April 20, 1943 sighted two merchantmen and closed in for the attack. Running on the surface at dawn 21 April, Grenadier spotted, and was simultaneously spotted by, a Japanese plane. As the sub crash dived, her skipper, Commander John A. Fitzgerald commented: "we ought to be safe now, as we are between 120 and 130 feet.". Just then, bombs rocked Grenadier and heeled her over 15 to 20 degrees. Power and lights failed completely and the fatally wounded ship settled to the bottom at 267' / 81m. She tried to make repairs while a fierce fire blazed in the maneuvering room. After 13 hours on the bottom, Grenadier managed to surface after dark to clear the boat of smoke and inspect damage. The damage to her propulsion system was irreparable. Attempting to bring his ship close to shore so that the crew could scuttle her and escape into the jungle, Commander Fitzgerald even tried to jury-rig a sail. But the night's work proved futile. Scuttling On April 22, 1943 at dawn Grenadier’s weary crew sighted two Japanese ships approaching. As the skipper "didn't think it advisable to make a stationary dive in 280' of water without power," the crew began burning confidential documents prior to abandoning ship. As a Japanese plane attacked the submarine that was dead in the water but Grenadier returned fire from her machine guns and claimed to hit it during the second pass. As the damaged plane veered off, it released a torpedo that landed about 200 yards from the boat and exploded. On April 22, 1943 in the morning what appeared to be a destroyer (actually an merchant ship 1,800 Tons and an escort vessel were seen on the horizon, and another enemy plane was driven away by gunfire. Off Phuket, the captain decided to scuttle the submarine by opening all vents and sank. Fates of the Crew Afterwards, eight officers and 68 enlished men were rescued by the Japanese merchant ship and transported to Penang, where they became Prisoners Of War (POWs). In captivity they were questioned, beaten and starved before being sent to other POW camps. The crew was separated and transferred from camp to camp on the Malay Peninsula then transfered to Japan. On November 27, 1943 the first news any of Grenadier's crew reached Australia. Despite their brutal treatment, all but four of Grenadier’s crew survived two years as Prisoners Of War (POW) and were liberated at the end of the Pacific War. Four crew members died in captivity at Fukuoka POW Camp / Fukuoka #3 (Yawata): MoMM2 Charles F. Linder died February 21, 1944 of pneumonia. MoMM1 Charles Doyle died April 12, 1944 of pneumonia. F1 George W. Snyder, Jr. died September 23, 1944 of chronic enteritis and acute pneumonia. MAtt1 Justiniano G. Guico died February 4, 1945 of pneumonia. The prisoners spent most of their time confined in small classrooms and cells in a convent in Malaysia and experienced hunger and extremely harsh treatment. The men scratched their names on two sections of a wall and one of the wooden doors. Crewman Thomas R. Courtney described the two-year stay in captivity as a "living hell". In 1982, surviving crew members began sending money to the convent to support their mission. Crew member Robert W. Palmer began writing to the school board chairman, Sister Francis de Sales. Sister Francis replied (via USS Grenadier Website): "For many years 'the writing on the wall' which we regard with such reverence was, to a certain extent, shrouded in mystery. All we knew was that these brave men were the crew of an American submarine, who suffered cruel torture on our premises at the hands of the Japanese. Awards For her World War II service, Grenadier received four battle stars. Memorials The four crew members who died in captivity at Fukuoka #3 (Yawata) were recovered and transported to the Philippines and United States for permanent burial. Linder died February 21, 1944. He is buried at Manila American Cemetery at plot B, row 13 grave 105. Doyle died April 12, 1944. He is buried at Golden Gate National Cemetery at section C, site 16. Snyder died September 23, 1944. He is buried at Easton Cemetery in Easton, PA. Guico died February 4, 1945. He has an unknown burial in the United States. A memorial to USS Grenadier with a torpedo is part of the Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park. References Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) - Grenadier (SS 210) (crew list) USS Grenadier Website NARA World War II Prisoners of War Data File - Charles Doyle NARA World War II Prisoners of War Data File - Justiniano G. Guico NARA World War II Prisoners of War Data File - Charles Freeman Linder NARA World War II Prisoners of War Data File - George William Snyder FindAGrave - Charles Doyle (photo, grave photo) FindAGrave - Justiniano G. Guico (body lost) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Charles F. Linder FindAGrave - Charles Freeman “Pappy” Linder (photo, grave photo) FindAGrave - George William Snyder Jr. (photo, grave photo) Contribute
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